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9-48 <br />Shrub Density and Height <br />• Shrub density within the vegetation type averages 9.4 individuals/ <br />25 m2or 1,517 individuals/ac. Shadscale saltbush (711 individuals/ <br />ac) and low rabbitbrush (533 individuals/ac) are the dominant <br />shrubs, followed in importance by big sagebrush, broom snakeweed, <br />-Gardner saltbush, shrubby buckwheat, rubber rabbitbrush, and <br />-greasewood. See Tables 9.5-145 and 4.5-265. <br />Shrub heights in general were low. Rubber rabbitbrush was tallest <br />with a height of 93.7 cm and Gardner saltbush was lowest at 13.0 <br />cm. Shadscale, the dominant plant, had an average height of 31.1 <br />cm while low rabbitbrush, the second species in importance, had <br />an average height of 27.0 cm. See Table 4.5-265. <br />Tree Density and Height <br />Tree densities are very low at 1.3 individuals/125 m2 or 39 <br />individuals/ac. Utah juniper accounts for 92 percent of the <br />total while pinyon pine contributes the remaining 8 percent. <br />• See Tables 4.5-15S and 4.5-275. <br />The juniper ranged in height from 1.5 m to 4.5 m and had an <br />average DBH of 9.0 cm. Pinyon pine had a smaller average height <br />(2.3 m) and a corresponding smaller DBH, 2.3 cm. See Table 4.5-275. <br />4.5.2.2.4 Gardner saltbush Shrubland <br />The Gardner saltbush Shrubland occurs on steep, south-facing <br />and unstable, shaley slopes. The major soil is the Chipeta <br />silty clay loam, a shallow, well-drained soil derived from <br />alkaline shales. <br />Total vegetation cover is quite low at 16.8 percent. Soil <br />cover is extremely high at 66.5 percent and litter and rock <br />cover are relatively low at 13.0 and 3.7 percent, respectively. <br />Cover by life form is as follows: shrubs, 8.2 percent; perennial <br />grasses, 0.5 percent; annual grasses, 4.2 percent; perennial forbs, <br />• 0.2 percent; and annual forbs, 3.8 percent. <br />